Yeah the wet paint do not touch was a great example...Kind of like in an argument and or just regular discussion of something. Then someone telling you to shut your mouth. The natural reaction is to not for most. Or maybe something work wise your superior says not to do but you know your way is better...I think maybe for some its just the lack of ever growing up..like in my case. I heard in a song one time the line said.."all alone in a room somewhere with a button that says danger do not touch!...Twice a day id mash it down and you could watch me self destruct"

To me those are two very different examples. I'm not going to touch wet paint because I don't want paint on my hand. The person who put that sign there is being helpful to me. In contrast, a person who, during an argument, tells me to shut my mouth is not trying to be helpful at all, they are trying to be controlling. Something like that is bound to piss me off and, yes, will lead me to do the opposite of what I'm told to do.

See I would touch the wet paint just because it says "Do not touch" Almost like the forbidden fruit in the garden of eden scenario. (Just an example dont want to go the religion beleifs/disbeleifs route) For some it seems a lot of things are only fun because they are frowned upon. The second they are approved it loses its appeal. So if someone in the midst of arguing decided to reverse the roll and said.."ok say what you got to say..let me have it" Then that would counteract the urge to engage any further into the argument. Unless you suspect that was their intention all along anyways was to use the reverse treatment just to get you to shutup. Depends on how well you know the person or how good you are at reading people in general. I dont think their always has to be a defining reason for this behavior. Other than some simply chose to act in that manner simply just because. Certain situations definatley intensify the trait but its really just a dominant characteristic anyway for some. If the sign said "touch wet paint" Then no..there would be no touching of the wet paint. Of course there are different extremes and degree's of this tendicie for each individual. But do you think one gender is more prone to this kind of behavior than the other? Drawing the line of course at inflicting harm or the breaking of laws that could land you in prison.

Haha, wow, you'd really touch wet paint just to contradict a sign? I can't relate to that. But anyway, no, I don't think going against the grain for its own sake is more common in one gender than the other, though there's certainly a stereotype that men do it more.

I agree with this, one of the reasons that I stopped drinking at bars/clubbing as much when I turned 21. It just lost it's appeal from when I was 18+ getting into 21+ places with just a wave of my "ID". So, for those three years I burned myself out pretty much and also when I was able to just walk in and be legal in there. Meh it just wasn't as appealing to me anymroe.

I'm totally touching that wet paint even if it's just poking it with the tip of my finger.

Is it natural for humans? i wouldn't say it's natural...but humans seem to be the only ones who do go against the warning. Maybe it's because we have a different intelligence than other species. A rationality that leads to curiosity and rebellious opinion.
You certainly don't see antelope signaling to it's herd "hey there's a pride of lions around the corner, DON'T GO THERE" and his buddy antelope says "aw screw that, I'm going to check it out".

his buddy antelope sounds like gilbert godfrey btw.

So if you see this:

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/gif/...ger_poison.gif

are you compelled to take a sip?

I don't know about that. I swear my cat does things specifically because she knows she's not supposed to.

of course not as I stated in one of my earlier responses, if it's something that's detrimental to my health, of course I won't do it.